Q&A- Sara-Lynne Knockwood 

Get to know Sara-Lynne Knockwood, rockstar taekwondo athlete and the first female athlete to be inducted into the Mi’kmaq Sport Hall of fame. Today, Sara-Lynne is a busy mom of three and the Director of Sport and Venue for the North American Indigenous Games in 2023 (NAIG 2023).  

Q. How do you feel Taekwondo has shaped you as a person? 

A. Although my sisters and I started Taekwondo as a recreational activity, we soon found a passion for competing. So, I started training more seriously at a young age. I learned a lot about the value of hard work and self-discipline.  

Training and competing in the sport taught me about being able to trust myself, but also to listen, understand, and implement feedback from others. I have learned so much from the sport. I have taken much care to carry these lessons forward with me in life. 

Q. Describe your most memorable sporting moment. 

A. My most memorable sporting moment was immediately following my gold medal match at the Open World Championships in Miami. I was 16 years old. I had trained so hard, and for so many hours a week, for months, leading up to that competition. My family and community worked tirelessly to fundraise for me to get there. 

After that gold medal match, I remember calling home on my dad’s cell phone – you know, those old Nokias – and telling my family that I had won. I cried, not because of my own achievement, but because that win validated all of their hard work. That gold medal gave back to them, what they poured into me. I’ll never forget that feeling. 

Q. What advice do you have for Indigenous athletes? 

A. As an Indigenous athlete, know that you are never alone. Your family and community are already so proud of you and support what you do. You are here because you are strong, and you come from a long lineage of strength and resilience. You belong in this athlete space too – there is room for you to be here, and there is room for you to excel here. 

Q. You now work for the NAIG 2023 games, what is your role there and how did you get involved? 

A. I am currently the Director of Sport and Venue for NAIG 2023, which means I oversee the delivery of all 16 sports, and ensure venues are planned accordingly to host them. I’m absolutely honoured to be a part of the host society. NAIG holds a special place in my heart.  

I’ve been lucky to experience 2 games as an athlete, and 2 games as mission staff. To now work as part of the host society is the next step that not everyone gets to take, so I’m grateful to have the opportunity to do so. I’m excited to give back to the games. 

Q. What excites you the most about the games being hosted in Mi’kma’ki?  

A. The games have never been hosted in Atlantic Canada. I’ve had the honour of attending 4 games as an athlete and/or mission staff. I can honestly say the experience of the North American Indigenous games is like no other.

This region has yet to experience the games. I’m so, so excited to be a part of the team that gets to bring this experience to my home of Mi’kma’ki, and share this with everyone here.  

Q. Who inspires you the most and why? 

A. Today, as a full-time working mom to three, my inspiration is much different. As I transition from being an athlete to now working in sport, I have different aspirations.

I’m inspired by my 3 children to help create spaces in sport that are more inclusive of diverse populations, and that actively, intentionally, and respectfully hold space for those diverse perspectives and experiences. 

Q. Many female athletes drop out of sport at an early age, what kept you in the game? 

A. I was lucky enough to find a sport that I loved and excelled at. I had great support from my family. I know that those things played a huge role in my participation in sport and competitions, and I am so grateful for all of it. But what kept me in the sport, was when I allowed myself to connect with people in the sport and at our training club.

I looked forward to seeing them at training and learning from them. Sport is a lot more enjoyable when you’re having fun, and playing/training with people you like. Don’t be scared to connect with them. Create your own support system within that environment. 
 

Q. Share a fun fact about yourself or something that you would like people to know. 

A. A lifetime ago, before I became a mom, I once had the opportunity to do a research internship in Cape Town, South Africa. So, I moved there by myself for 4 months, and in my free time, I jumped out of an airplane and did cage diving with sharks. That was a fun time.